#533 


IIIIHIIIIIIII 


No.  51. 

DO,  YOU  WAIT  A  FRIEND? 


Do  you  wani  a  friend,  powerful  to  protect  you,  rich  to  supply 
your  wants,  kind  to  sympathize  with  you,  affectionate  to  feel 
for  you,  wise  to  guide  you — a  "  friend  that  stickcth  closer  than 
a  brother;"  one  lo  whom  you  can  go  at  all  times,  at  all 
seasons,  under  all  circumstances;  one  to  whom  you  can  open 
all  your  heart;  one  who  is  worthy  of  all  the  affection  of  your 
soul;  one  whom  you  can  esteem  and  delight  in:  one  who  is 
able  to  satisfy  all  that  craving  desire  of  happiness  which  you 
feel — who  can  assist  you  when  all  other  friends  fail— who  can 
support  you  in  your  last  agonies,  and  walk  with  you  through 
the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death  ;  one  whose  influence  and 
power  extends  beyond  the  grave — who  is  able  lo  save  you  from 
the  fire  of  hell,  and  to  give  you  a  place  among  the  sons  of  <*od? 

Reader,  as  you  are  a  lost,  perishing  sinner,  if  you  desire 
such  a  friend,  let  me  tell  you,  to  your  joy,  that  I  know  of  one, 
who  is  not  only  alt  that  this  description  implies,  but  who  is 
one  that  is  far  more  valuable,  far  more  excellent,  far  more 
desirable.  His  name  is  -1  qstrs.  He  is  powerful  to  protect  you  ; 
for  he  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God,  and  all  power  is  given  unto 
him  in  heaven  and  in  earth.  He  is  rich  to  supply  you,  for  he 
is  Qtod,  the  all-sufficient.  In  him  are  all  the 'treasures  ot 
wisdom  and  knowledge.  Are  you,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  poor, 
and  wretched,  and  miserable,  and  blind,  and  naked?  He  will 
sell  thee  "  gold  that  thou  mayest  be  rich  " — sell  it  thee  "  with- 
out money  and  without  price."  He  will  give  thee  "white 
raiment  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that  the  shame  of 
thy  nakedness  may  not  appear:"  he  will  "  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eye-salve,  that  thou  mayest  see:  "  he  will  give  thee  of 
his  Holy  Spirit,  that  thou  mayest  see  thy  need  ot  Christ,  and 


discover  hi^  infinite  power,  and  Ins  gracious  willingness  to 
supply  all  thy  need.  By  this  blessed  gift  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
thou  shalt  have  such  discoveries  of  his  glorious  majesty,  as 
•'God  over  all,  blessed  for  evermore, "  as  shall  lead  thee  to 
call  him  LORD,  so  as  none  can  do  but  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
And  when  oppressed  in  spirit  under  a  sense  of  the  sinfulness 
of  thy  nature,  this  adorable  Comforter  will  testify  of  Jesus  to 
thee,  and  give  thee  such  confidence  in  the  assurance  that  his 
blood  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  as  shall  bring  peace  to  thy  soul. 
This  blessed  Spirit  will  also  apply  to  thy  soul  all  those  ex- 
ceeding great  and  precious  promises  of  God  which  are  made 
to  fekem  that  believe  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  whereby  thou  shalt 
escape  the  corruption  that  is  in  the  world,  through  lust. 

Whatever  temporal  things  you  may  want,  this  kind  Friend 
is  no  less  able  than  willing  to  supply,  if  they  are  suitable  for 
you.  Do  you  want  one  to  sympathize  with  you  ?  Seek  Jesus 
for  your  friend,  and  trust  in  what  he  has  done  and  suffered 
for  you;  believe  in  the  efficacy  of  his  atoning  blood,  and  you 
will  find  that  there  can  be  no  friend  more  sympathetic  than 
he.  He  is  one  "  who  can  have  compassion  on  the  ignorant, 
and  on  them  that  are  out  of  the  way,"  for  that  he  himself  also 
was  compassed  with  infirmity.  "He  is  not  one  "who  cannot 
be  touched  with  the  feelings  of  your  infirmity,  for  he  was  in 
all  points  tempted  like  as  you  are,  yet  without  sin."  He  is 
also  affectionate  to  feel  for  you.  That  love  which  brought  him 
from  the  skies  he  still  retains ;  nor  is  its  warmth  diminished. 
He  is  wise  to  guide  you.  He  knows  all  your  circumstances, 
all  your  difficulties,  and  all  your  dangers.  He  knows  what 
is  best  for  you,  and  what  is  the  truest  wisdom.  He,  too,  is 
the  Friend  that  slicketh  closer  than  a  brother.  He  is  never  angry 
without  just  cause;  never  led  aside  by  an  evil  temper.  He 
will  bear  with  your  weakness  with  more  than  a  brother's  for- 
bearance. He  is  one  to  whom  you  can  go  at  all  times,  at  all 
seasons,  and  under  all  circumstances.  He  is  not  confined  to  any 
place ;  so  that,  wherever  you  are,  you  may  have  access  to 
him. 

No  change  of  circumstances  alters  his  affection.  He  will 
befriend  you  in  sickness  as  well  as  in  health  ;  in  age  as  well 
as  in  youth ;  in  adversity  as  well  as  in  prosperity.  He  is  one 
to  whom  you  can  open  all  your  heart ;  for  he  has  given  you  such 


amazing  proofs  of  his  love,  (hat  you  cannot  doubt  his  affection. 
Think  of  him  as  God  incarnate,  God  in  human  flesh,  dying 
for  our  sins,  that  we  might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life  ;  and  you  cannot  but  be  willing  to  pour  out  your  heart 
before  him,  to  tell  him  of  nil  your  trouble?,  to  confide  in  his 
love,  and  to  repose  on  his  bosom.  JJo  is  one,  too,  who  in 
worthy  of  all  the  affections  of  your  soul ;  one  whom  you  cau 
esteem  and  delight  in.  Such  wonderful  love  towards  us,  de- 
mands our  love  to  him  in  return.  Oh  take  him  for  your 
friend.  Reaps*]  and  then  you  will  perceive  how  worthy  he  is 
of  your  tenderest  affection.  Then  will  he  unfold  his  excellency 
and  goodness,  his  loveliness  and  beauty;  and  you  will  find 
him  to  be  the  "chief  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether 
lovely." 

Reader,  you  desire  to  be  happy;  you  thirst  for  happiness. 
Repent  of  sin  ;  go  in  faith  unto  t'hu  Friend,  and  he  will  give 
you  of  the  water  of  life;  give  you  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit;  give  you  spiritual  health;  give  you  complete  enjoy- 
ment in  communion  with  God.  Ln  vain  do  you  seek  for  per- 
fect happiness  in  earthly  enjoyments;  your  desires  after  happi- 
ness are  so  extensive  that  nothing  can  satisfy  them  but  the 
enjoyment  of  God.  Take  Jesus  for  your  Friend,  and  God  will 
be  the  joy  of  your  heart,  and  your  portion  for  ever. 

A  time  is  fast  approaching  when  earthly  friends  cannot  aid 
you  ;  they  cannot  save  you  from  the  hour  of  death  ;  they  can- 
not support  you  in  your  last  moments,  nor  accompany  you 
through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow,  of  death.  But  the 
Friend  now  pointed  out — the  blessed  Jesus— he  can  comfort 
and  support  you  when  all  other  friends  can  render  you  no 
assistance;  he  can  receive  your  parting  spirit,  convey  you 
safely  through  the  shades  of  death,  and  bring  you  to  that  ever- 
lasting happiness  which  he  sh«d  his  blood  to  procure.  He 
died  for  our  sins;  believe  in  him  ;  trust  in  what  he  has  done 
and  suffered;  supplicate  God,  in  his  name,  for  the  pardon  of 
your  sins  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  you  shall  be  de- 
livered from  the  "blackness  of  darkness  for  ever;"  the  fire  of 
hell  shall  never  touch  you  ;  but  you  shall  dwell  in  the  abodes 
of  light  and  glory  forever  and  ever.  "God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life." 


4 
HYMN. 

One  there  is,  above  all  others, 

Well  deserves  the  name  of  Friend: 

His  is  love  beyond  a  brother's, 
Costly,  free,  and  knows  no  end  ! 

They  who  once  his  kindness  prove, 

Find  it  everlasting  love. 

Which,  of  all  our  friends,  to  save  us, 
Could  or  would  have  shed  his  blood? 

But  our  Jesus  died  to  have  us 
Reconcil'd,  in  him,  to  God : 

This  was  boundless  love  indeed  ! 

Jesus  is  a  Friend  in  need. 

When  he  lived  on  earth  abased, 
Friend  of  sinners  was  his  name; 

Now  above  all  glory  raised, 
He  rejoices  in  the  same  ; 

Still  he  calls  them  brethren,  friends. 

And  to  all  their  wants  attends. 

O  for  grace  our  hearts  to  soften ! 

Teach  us,  Lord,  at  length  to  love: 
We,  alas !  forget  too  often 

What  a  friend  we  have  above  ; 
But,  when  home  our  souls  are  brought, 
We  will  love  thee  as  we  ought. 


Hollinger  Corp. 
PH  8.5 


